Justice in Focus: Crime, Courts & Community in Cayman
From a tour of His Majesty’s Prison Northward to a seminar at the George Town Courthouse, this session confronted the realities of crime, punishment, and reform in the Cayman Islands.
The day began with a security-tight tour of HMP Northward, where participants got a rare look inside the island’s primary correctional facility. Led by Steve Miller, Acting Residence and Induction Manager, the tour explored the challenges of rehabilitation, gang affiliation, and reintegration. With a background in HR and a passion for reform, Steve’s leadership set the tone for a day of tough questions and thoughtful dialogue.
The evening seminar, moderated by Alanna Warwick-Smith, Tiffany Coward, and Saskia Stevenson, brought together a powerhouse panel of justice leaders. The Hon. Chief Justice Margaret Ramsay-Hale, a trailblazer with decades of judicial experience across the Caribbean, opened the session with a call for balance—between justice and compassion, enforcement and reform.
Commissioner Kurt Walton, head of the RCIPS, brought a frontline perspective on the rise in violent crime, gang activity, and firearm trafficking. With nearly 40 years in law enforcement and recent training from the FBI, Walton emphasized intelligence-led policing and cross-border collaboration as key to tackling organized crime.
Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn, a seasoned legal mind with experience in both Bermuda and Cayman, shared insights on judicial backlogs, sentencing, and the urgent need for more criminal defense attorneys to ensure fair trials.
Rounding out the panel was Simon Davis, Director of Public Prosecutions, whose global experience—from UK terrorism cases to international tribunals—brought a sharp lens to prosecution strategy, cybercrime, and the evolving role of AI in legal practice.
Breakout sessions buzzed with debate: Can decriminalizing marijuana free up resources to fight violent crime? How do we stop the flow of illegal firearms? And what does justice look like in a system stretched thin?
From courtroom delays to community safety, the Criminal Justice seminar made one thing clear: Cayman’s justice system is at a crossroads. And the leaders of tomorrow are ready to ask the hard questions—and help shape the answers.